4 Questions to consider before you start building your website

In this information age we find ourselves in today, everyone seems to be online. In fact, it’s a commonly-held view that if you’re not online, you may as well not exist.This poses a problem for small business owners like us.

But before you go running to the nearest ISP with an affordable-looking solution, it’s worth considering a few key factors that really make all the difference between a successful online presence – and an expensive waste of money.

Let’s review the four basic factors you need to have in place before you get started:

Step 1: What have you got so far?

Do you have a domain name? A logo? Any content (photos, videos, text?)
If not, a reputable web developer will register a domain that both advertises your company and makes it clear what you do. A designer who really knows her stuff can also create an email address and a logo for you.

Step two is WHO: who is your target audience?

Where do they congregate? What do the have in common?
This is key in creating the content and the look, so you need to get it right. If you don’t know who you’re talking to, or what drives them, how will you know what to say?

Step 3 is WHAT: what do they want that you give them?

Think of it like this: no one buys a drill because they want a drill. They buy a drill because they want a hole in the wall. So what’s the hole your target market wants in its wall, that you offer?
For instance, people looking for a safari operator want one (or more) of three things:
– Escape
– Adventure
– A sense of history

What else? What could drive them to look for someone like you?

When we know that, we can create content to cater to each group.

Step 4 is WHY: why should they use you and not someone else?

What makes you UNIQUE? Your Unique Selling Point (USP) is the key that sets you apart from your competitors. Someone out there wants what you offer, the way you offer it. Our job is to highlight the fact that you have it, in both the content and imagery.

When you work with a reliable online marketer, she will take each of these factors into consideration before placing a single pixel, or coding a single line. It’s vital to get this right, so make sure you work with a team who knows this.

Vanessa Davies is the head writer, senior designer, social media adept and business owner at aXent Associates. Online marketing, blogging, home education, lifelong learning, optimal nutrition and personal growth are high on her list of priorities. You can follow Vanessa on Twitter or Google+.